What makes a proper youth gun? Many of the same attributes that make our favorite rimfires successful: lightweight, reliability, affordability, low recoil and ergonomics that favor smaller body frames. But the most important thing for new or young shooters, however, is fun.

We’ve spent a lot of time training with bolt-action models including those in the above gallery, and we’re excited to bring you some options that are new since we were young, like the Browning Buck Mark Sporter and the Ruger Charger. The classic-styled Savage Rascal earned its way into this collection, and it’s amazing how many youth-friendly colors it comes in; you can code them to different teams, different ranges or facilities, or to different individual shooters. Whatever your price point, there’s something in this collection that will help you or your new shooter discover the joy of safe shooting!